Bedroom Lighting Buyer Guide

Bedroom lighting needs to perform a variety of roles, and it needs to be functional for daily tasks such as dressing and vanities as well as relaxing and warming for resting and sleeping. Using a mixture of task and ambient lighting will create the perfect mix, enabling you to use the bedroom space flexibly for whatever you require. You can use a lumen calculator here to work out the correct lighting level for your bedroom.

Contents

• Bedroom Space
• Bedroom Ceiling Lights
• Bedroom Wall lights
• Dimmer Switches

Bedroom Space

Before planning the lighting scheme, you need to determine how much space you have to use and how to use it. Here are some essential questions you need to consider.

Where is the bed placed in the room?

This will determine many factors. Is this near a natural light source? If not consider lighting above the bed either a pendant or recessed downlights which will be the primary source of the light for the room, which can be well complemented with defused wall lights on either side of the bed on independent dimmer switches.

Is there a vanity table in the room?

A vanity table will require task lighting. The best results come from focused wall lights complimenting a mirror.

Are you anticipating plenty of wardrobe space?

Using wall lighting fixtures will be tricky as the walls are taken up with wardrobe space. Instead, look to compliment the wardrobe with recessed downlights fit in the ceiling at the edge of where the wardrobe is placed. This will pay dividends next time you are struggling to pick an outfit.

Do you need bedroom lighting to read at night?

A focused reading light fitted next to the bed will enable you to read long into the night without annoying your partner.

Will there be a TV in the room?

If there is a TV in the bedroom, indirect ambient lighting becomes even more critical as you will want to switch off the primary lighting source independently and create a warm atmosphere with either wall lights or table lights.

Bedroom Ceiling Lights

Ceiling lighting should be considered as the primary light source in the bedroom. There are two main types of fixtures available for bedroom lighting.

Bedroom Pendant Lighting

Probably the most common light used in the bedroom is pendant lights fitted in the center of the room. This can be a flexible and cheap solution to creating a comfortable bedroom light scheme. 

Bedroom Downlights / Recessed Lights

Downlights offer a smart and sophisticated lighting option for the bedroom, groups of downlights can be wired independently to switch fittings allowing for multiple lighting options at a flick of a switch.

Bedroom Wall lights

Alternatively, wall lights work very well in a bedroom setting (if there is enough wall space). A popular option is to place wall lights at either side of the bed creating a diffused lighting effect perfect for late-night reading.

Dimmer Switches

Using a dimmer switch in the bedroom is an excellent way of adding flexibility to your lighting scheme, allowing the fixtures to provide as late-night low lighting before bed as well as early morning task lighting.